Direction indicator



f 1,630,015 c. H. JOHNSON DIRECTION INDICATOR May Z4, 1927,

Filed Sept. 16. 192.6

Nm. N l y 9 i 0m-j" INVENTOR.

f ATTORNEYS.

facture,

. is shown by Patented May 24, 1927.

'rasl a I wrm'y STA PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. JOHNSON, 0F SACRAMENTO, CALIFDRNIA.

DIRECTION INDICATOR.

Application iled September 16, 1926. Serial No. 135,719.

trians the direction in which the automobile that the automobile is to turn or the fact is to be slowed down or stopped, the apparatus being of that type'in which an arrow arm or other indicator mounted at the side of the car can be swung to or from an indieating position.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction andoperation of an apparatus of the character described so as to render such apparatus reliable and efficient in use, comparatively simple and inexpensive to lmanueasy to install and so designed as to be under convenient control of the driver. A more specific object of the invention is to provide an ap aratus of this character which is especia ly adapted for installation in closed cars such as sedans, coups, coaches and the like and particularly in the door or frame thereof; to provide an apparatus of this character which will be invisible when. not in use and which will appear to form a part of the door or frame, Vwhen installed and further to provide means whereby the signal or indicating arm may be operated from the interior of the car.

One form which the invention may assume way of `illustration in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the portion of an automobile top showing'the application of the invention to the front door,

Fi ure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the or partly broken away and partly` in section, v

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the door talen on the line III- III of Figure 2,

1 the oor frame taken on the line IV-IV of Fi re 3,

igure 5 is tion of the direction indicating arm andthe housing in which it is pivotally mounted, said view showing only a portion of the housing and said housing .being partly broken away and partly in section,

Figure 6 is an enlarged .side elevation of the upper end of the direction indicating arm. f .e

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, AV indithe slotl and it screws 12 or the like through the 'face flanges shown in Figure l tion or plate indicated at 13,. has a width,

' plates and has a -so that vwhen the ure 4 is an enlarged cross section of a perspective v iew of a por-y J forms the 1nd1cat1ng cates in general the topiof an automobile, 2 the side frame posts supporting the top 3 door of a closed ype of automobile such as a sedan orv the like. The direction indicat- .the wind-shield 4, the cowl and 5 the front ing or signalling apparatus forming the sub- I ject matter of the previouslystated, particularly adapted for installation in the door or frame of an automobile, such installation being accomplished by slotting the door frame and inserting a housing in the slotted portion, which housing serves as a support and a container for the direction indicating arrow or arm.

In the present instance, the drawings illustrate the application of a signalling apparatus to the front door and the -frame of the door is, accordingly, vertically slotted as indicated at B, to receive the housing C of the signalling apparatus and the direction indicating arrow or arm l) supported thereby. The housing may be constructed of sheet metal or the like and its cross section, as shown in FiguresflV and 5 is substantially ishaped, that is,'a piece of sheet metal is bent to form a pair of side members 6 and 7 which are interspaced as indicated at 8. The outer ends of the side members 6 and 7 are turned at right angles to form face flanges 9 and 10 and the face ianges are, in turn, slightly recessed as indicated at 11, for the purpose hereinafter to be described.

The casing extends from end to end of is secured therein by passing into the woodwork. The direction indicating arm is also T-shaped in cross section as 5. AThe head ofthe T secequal to the recess 11 formed in the face thickness equal to the recess, direction indicating arm is swung into the housing a Hush surface will be presented bythe plate 13 and the face flanges 9 and 10. y

The leg of the T section, indicated at 14, arrow or arm. This arm is pivotally mountedl atits upper, end on vthe pin 15 and the arm may swing this present application is as pin to any of the dotted line positions indiv cated' at 16, 17 and 18 or the inoperative position indicated at 19, which v1s assumed downwardly into the when the arm is Swun d ofthe armis providcasing. The upper en ed with arcuated slots ures 3, 5 and 6 and .theupper end ofthe si positions correspond plate 6 is vertically slotted as indicated at 21.

An actuating r d 22 lies exterior of the side plate 6 and its upper end is bent at right angles as indicated at 23 so as to project through the slots 21 and 20. The lower end of the actuatin arm is connected with a ivotally mounte bell-crank 24 and this be l-crank is, in turn, connected throu h a link 25 with an operating lever 26 w ich is iivotally mounted as at 27. The upper en of the lever projects through the sill of the door and a slotted plate 28. This plate is provided with notches, such as shown at 29, with which the' lever may be engaged or secured to the link in predetermined positions.

The operating lever 26 is mounted within convenient reach of the driver and when he desires to operate the signalling apparatus, he merely grasps the lever` and ulls it into engagement with one or more of) the latches 29v 'When movement of the lever is transmitted through link 25, bell-crank 24 and operating rod\ 22, the movement of the rod being in a downward, direction. Such movement is transmitted through the right angular bent end 23 to exert a downward pull on the upper end of the signalling farm and may thus be swung to assume any one of the positions shown at 16, 17 and 18. These with the standard hand or arm systems now in use andfindicates that the driver intends to turn to the right or left as the case may be vor that he 1ntends to slow down or stop, a right hand turn being indicated when the arm assumes the position shown at 16, a left hand turn when the arm assumes the position shown at 17 and when slowing down or stopping the osition indicated at 18, is assumed.

henever possible the housing should form a part of the door, frame or post, where this is not possible, the housing in which the signal operates ma be separate from the frame or so made that in case a separate frame is employed, it can be spotheated or riveted thereto. In case of a wooden frame it is attached by screws or bolts, as previously stated. The housing is, in reality, U-shaped in cross section so as to provide the greatest possible strength. This is important where the door frame is made ofwood, as a slot cut into it will tend to weaken the frame, but when the housing 1s U-shaped and securely fastened, as here illustrated, it will materially re-enforce and v strengthen the frame. VAnother important feature the fact that the entire si alling apparatus is substantially invisible w en notl inuse, as the casing and the direction in- 'of the slot, said flanges a dicating arm lie flush with the surface of the door frame and may be painted the same color.

In this manner, the general appearance of the car is in no manner aifected. This structure also insures against rain and dust and avoids all projections except when the A si al is displayed.

ile certain features of the present invention have been more or less specifically illustrated it is understood that varying changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended-claims. Similarly various materials and finishes of the several parts emplo ed may be such as the manufacturer may ecide or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a door of an automobile, said door having an elongated slot formed in its outer surface, of a housing adapted to be inserted in the slot, said housing extending from end to end of the slot and beinO U-shaped in cross section, a pair of face fanges on the housing, one on each side thereof and extendin from end to end apted to lie Hush with the outer surface of the door, means whereby the housing is secured in the slot, said housing being open in its outer surface from end to end, an arm pivoted at its upper end in the housing and adapted to be swung into and out ofthe housing, a cover plate on the arm' forming a closure for the housing when ing, sald face ianges being recessed to receive the cover plate and thereby permitting the cover plate to lie flush with the face flanges in the upper surface of the door.

2. The combination with a door of an automobile, said door having an elongated slot .formed in its outer surface of a housing adapted to lbe inserted in the slot and secured therein, said housing having an elongated opening formed in its outer surface, an arm pivoted at its upper end in the housing and adapted to be swung into and out of the housing, an extension on the arm above the pivot, said extension having an arcuated slot formed therein eccentrically positioned with relation to the pivot, a. longitudinally movable rod having a projection formed at one end and extending through lthe slotted extension and adapted to 1mart a swinging movement to the arm about its pivot and cover plate on the arm forming a closu`re for the housing opening when the arm is swung into the housm CHARLES H. J OIJINSON.

the arm is swung into the hous 

